


has the moon lost her memory?

by beestings



Series: #ChikaYouWeek2020 [2]
Category: Love Live! Sunshine!!
Genre: At least not yet anyways, F/F, Future AU, can you TELL i havent watched the movie, mari isnt the ONLY one who can call chika 'chikachi', theyre like 26-27 in this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-08
Updated: 2020-06-08
Packaged: 2021-03-03 23:54:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,416
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24614113
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/beestings/pseuds/beestings
Summary: day 2 for #chikayouweek2020 on twitter!prompt: "third years/memory lane"
Relationships: Takami Chika/Watanabe You
Series: #ChikaYouWeek2020 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1777030
Kudos: 17





	has the moon lost her memory?

“Oh man, look at this!” Yō exclaimed. In her hand was an old-looking, somewhat scuffed-up trophy she’d pulled out from the box laying in front of her. “ _’Junior Girls’ High Dive Tournament, 1 st Place’_. This was _soooo_ long ago!”

“You’re acting like an old lady who just found toys from her childhood,” Chika teased. She too was sifting through the contents of a filled cardboard box. The couple had recently bought and moved into their own apartment. Now, the two were in the process of unpacking their belongings.

Yō set the trophy down next to the box. “I’m just going to ignore that comment.” Chika rolled her eyes and went back to unpacking. Yō did the same. “This one...jeez, I can’t even read what this one says! I just might need my glasses for that.” She promptly set another trophy next to the first.

“I don’t think I have anything special in here,” Chika mumbled. “Just clothes ‘n stuff my sisters probably helped pack for me.” _I was in such a rush to move in with Yō-chan, after all!_

“Just keep looking. Maybe you’ll find something that’ll surprise you,” the ashen-haired woman shrugged. “I never even realized how many of these trophies I own.”

Her orange-haired girlfriend giggled. “It’s ‘cuz you’re the star athlete of this town, Yō-chan! I can’t think of anyone else who could _possibly_ be on the same level as you!”

“Kanan-chan, maybe?”

Chika shook her head. “Nah. She’s athletic and sometimes competitive, sure, but she exercises to stay fit, or because her job at the diving shop requires it, or just for fun. Not really to win trophies. She only _truly_ turns things into competitions when _you’re_ around to taunt her.”

“And yet I still can’t beat her,” Yō lamented, sighing. “You’d think after twenty or so years of knowing her, I’d be able to beat her by now!”

“Hopefully within the next decade or so,” the orange-head grinned. All that was left in the box were some old clothes, some her sisters probably didn’t know what to do with. “Anyways, I think that I’m almost done with this one here—“

One of the articles of clothing laying at the bottom of the box prompted an audible gasp from its owner.

In an instant, Yō was by her side, to make sure her girlfriend was alright. “What’s wrong, Chikachi? Did a spider crawl on your arm or some—oh.”

Yō instantly recognized the fabric bunched in Chika’s hands as her costume from their first performance as Aqours all those years ago, when the only members of the group were her, Chika, and Riko.

Upon first glance, it was obvious the dress hadn’t been worn in a long, long time. It was far too small for her to wear now, and a couple stitches and seams were falling out here and there. Since it was practically a decade old, the orange color had somewhat dulled from its lack of use.

“Oh, that’s from—“

“—our first live? Yeah.” Chika pressed the dress against her body, as if she was hugging it. “I remember.”

Yō felt her heart sink. It wasn’t like Chika to get so sad and quiet all of a sudden, but here she was. She carelessly fiddled with some of the broken stitches, twirling the thread with her fingers. For a moment, Yō wasn’t sure if she should approach her or not. Or even talk to her.

But watching her sit here, depressingly playing with the strings, wearing a solemn expression on her face, hurt the ashen-haired woman deeply. “Are...you alright, Chikachi?”

“I…don’t know,” Chika reluctantly admitted. “I guess I just thought I’d never see it again.” Her usually-cheerful voice was much sadder and quieter than Yō had heard it sound in months, maybe even years.

“Chikachi…” Yō tried to place a hand on Chika’s shoulder, but the other woman just smiled sadly and shook her head. Instead, Chika took Yō’s hand in her own, clutching it as if it were a lifeline.

“Do you think the flag is still there?” She feebly asked, her voice starting to crack.

“Someone would’ve contacted one of us if they were planning to remove it,” Yō reassured. She gently stroked Chika’s hand with her thumb. “They wouldn’t just get rid of it without us knowing.”

“…I guess you’re right,” Chika sighed and leaned against Yō’s side, letting her head fall onto her shoulder. An uncomfortably long silence hung in the air above the two, lasting for a few minutes before Chika once again spoke up. “Do…you miss it too, Yō-chan?”

“You mean…being an idol?”

She didn’t answer. “Do you think everyone else misses it too?” Her voice was shaky, barely above a whisper. Even quieter, she added, “Do you think they even _care_ anymore?”

Yō’s eyes widened, slightly taken aback by the implication. “O-of course they still care! Why…why wouldn’t they?”

“Because… _because_ …” Chika’s voice trailed off. “Everyone has their own lives to lead now. They’re all busy doing whatever, like following their dreams, dealing with family businesses…” She let go of Yō’s hand to frantically wipe away tears that threatened to fall. “Sometimes I just feel like…they just don’t have time for memories anymore. And then I feel stupid for holding this idol thing so close to me, still stuck in the past, while everyone’s going off to do their own thing...”

She covered her eyes with her hand, lowering her head so it was harder for Yō to see her face. Yō sat next to Chika, simultaneously processing her girlfriend’s words and figuring out what to say to her next. She shyly wrapped an arm around Chika’s shoulders, pulling her closer, and gently stroked her messy orange hair.

“Y’know, Chikachi,” Yō slowly began. “Ruby-chan, Maru-chan, and Yoshiko-chan didn’t _have_ to continue being idols after we graduated.” She bit her lip. ” ** _We_** didn’t have to continue being idols after the third-years graduated.”

Though Chika said nothing, Yō felt her shift her head to look up at her ashen girlfriend. She smiled slightly before continuing. “We kept going on. Because the name _‘Aqours’_ was so important to all of us that we couldn’t just _drop_ it! And even when it was just the three former first-years, they refused to let it die as long as they were still in high school.” 

“But they didn’t _have_ to go on. They _chose_ to go on. Because the group was just as important to them as it was, and still _is_ , to you.” Yō buried her face into Chika’s hair. “And, to me. You’re not stupid for still thinking about it, because I do too.”

The orange-head felt fresh tears prick at the corners of her eyes. “Yō-chan—“

“—ah, actually,” Yō quickly scurried back to her box, hurriedly digging through it. It was clear she was trying to look for something. Chika watched her with confusion, but took this time to rid her face of any stray tears.

After a few seconds, Yō pulled out a blue dress, in similar condition to Chika’s orange one, out of the box. Though it seemed a bit less wrinkled, there were still seams falling out of place. She turned around, holding the dress in front of her body. Chika’s eyes widened in surprise. “I kept mine, too,” her girlfriend smiled. “You’re not the only one, Chikachi.”

Chika only stared at the blue costume in Yō’s hands, casting quick glances back to hers, then back to Yō’s. “That’s…thank you, Yō-chan,” she whispered. “It makes me feel a lot better. Because of what you said, and that you kept yours…” The orange-head let out a deep sigh of relief.

“Of course.” Yō lightly pecked Chika’s nose, provoking some soft giggles from the orange-head. “I’ll always be here if you need me, okay?”

Chika laughed. “Well, duh! This is _our_ apartment now.”

“Oh! Right...” Yō nervously chuckled. “I guess I still have to get used to that…” The ashen stood up from her spot on the floor, starting towards the kitchen. “I say we stop for the day. We can order some take-out, if you want, since I don’t really feel like cooking tonight.”

“’s fine with me!” Chika trailed behind her, following Yō into the kitchen. “Oh, by the way,” Chika gently pressed her lips to Yō’s, lingering there for a second before pulling back with a faint smack. “Thank you again, Yō-chan.”

“Ah,” Yō blinked a couple times in astonishment. “Y-you’re welcome, Chikachi.”

**Author's Note:**

> note to self: dont agree to side projects while attempting to pull yourself out of writers block


End file.
